Vanillekipferl originate from Vienna in Austria, but versions of them are loved and baked throughout Germany, Poland, Hungary, and Switzerland, too. They are a non-negotiable must during Advent for me, and I regularly eat one with the first coffee of the day while it’s still pitch black outside—there’s something most satisfying about eating a moon-shaped biscuit while the moon is still visible in the sky. This recipe is for the classic Austrian version made with ground almonds, which I find creamy and sweet, but ground hazelnuts are delicious, too, and in Hungary, walnut varieties are the most popular. Vanillekipferl are renowned for their light, crumbly texture and thick icing sugar coat, which clings to each biscuit, giving them their signature flavor. The icing sugar is sifted on in heavy drifts as soon as the biscuits are out of the oven, so the under layer almost melts into the biscuit, while …